Siem Reap, Cambodia: 6 Must See Attractions

Siem Reap is a town set up for tourists coming to see the ancient Angkor Temples. The numerous resorts cater to every need a traveler could imagine. I’ve listed the top picks for activities and attractions in and around Siem Reap.

Le Tigre de Papier Cooking School

Photo Credit Allie Caulfield

Learn to recreate your favorite Khmer dishes in this authentic Cambodian Kitchen. You can select your favorite dishes from the menu. Each participant gets to pick one starter, one main course, and one dessert. Your local chef will take you to visit a Cambodian market to learn about the ingredients. Enjoy your three-course meal and arrive back to the hotel to enjoy the pool for the heat of the day. $12 Learn More

Floating Village

The floating village is located an hour outside of Siem Reap by Tuk Tuk. The driver for the day should charge about $30 USD but you can haggle them down to a lower cost. I had very mixed feelings about the floating village. It felt a bit like “poverty tourism” but it was also a much more realistic image of what it’s like to live in Cambodia outside of the westernized tourist areas. For $37 each we were taken on an hour long boat tour of the floating village. We stopped at a restaurant for lunch at a floating restaurant where the prices were extremely inflated. Also included in the tour was a canoe ride through the flooded mangrove forest. The tour was a huge contrast to Siem Reap and offered an alternative to the temple tours and spas of the city, but it also felt a bit like a tourist trap designed to gather as much money as possible from tourists. That being said, it was really interesting to see the local people working and chat with the children on the boats. Learn More

Killing Fields

This is the only place in this guide that you absolutely must see before you leave Cambodia. The recent history in Cambodia is ride with political tragedy. The Killing Fields are memorials dedicated to the victims of the Khmer Rouge Genocide. The Khmer Rouge was a political party that killed about 1/3 of the population of Cambodia. The memorial in Siem Reap is much smaller than memorials in other parts of the country. It takes about 30 minutes to walk through the grounds and read all of the signs. On display in the middle of the grounds is a pagoda filled with the remains of some of the victims. It is a very jarring visual reminder of the tragedy this country has experienced. Pick up some literature and learn more about the events of the past. This is the one thing that I saw in Cambodia that really stood out in my memory when we returned home. Learn More

Night Market

The Night Market is perfect for shopping wandering aimlessly and people watching. There is a seemingly endless supply of street stalls selling goods. Don’t be afraid to haggle for a deal. Grab some street food from a vendor and relax while watching the people shop and enjoy the nightlife. When your feet get tired stop at one of the many spas for a massage. You won’t regret it. Learn More

Angkor Wat & Temple Tours

The temples of ancient Angkor are the reason most people come to Siem Reap. They are incredibly old but still maintained very well. Everyone raves about the sunrise tour of Angkor Wat but honestly; it was so crowded that it’s hard to get even a couple decent pictures. Instead, opt to start at one of the smaller temples. We got our start at Ta Prahm and enjoyed a relatively quiet morning of taking photos and studying the temple’s details. Be warned, a day of temple touring can get hot and blur together if you aren’t careful. I recommend getting the $40 3-day pass and spreading the tours out during your stay. Learn More

Rosana’s Cabaret

Rosanna’s is a Broadway style Lady Boy Cabaret. I am something of a drag aficionado and I was extremely impressed with this show. There are dozens of heavily choreographed numbers featuring costumes from countries around the world. The showmanship was incredible. Tickets range in price from $40-$15. Learn More

About The Author

Meg Cale is an LGBT travel advocate and community educator. After finishing her MPA and research practicum focusing on LGBT urban youth policy, Meg went on to inform educational programming at three of the largest LGBT nonprofits in the US. Meg’s first book, “Slacktivist: Using Digital Media to Create Change” was released earlier this year. Meg’s LGBT subject matter expertise has been featured in Cosmopolitan Magazine, Go Magazine, Out Traveler, Gay Star News, Buzzfeed, Matador Network, Elite Daily, Korea Observer, and India's The Quint. Her passion lives at the intersection of travel, queer culture, and new media. Follow her on Instagram or Twitter @MegCale

Welcome to Dopes on the Road! We're Meg and Lindsay and we've created DotR as a space dedicated to inspiring and equipping LGBT travelers to live a life of adventures. Take a look around and don't be afraid to say hi! Read More